Slender-billed Starling
Onychognathus tenuirostris
A large starling with a long, tapered tail and a long, thin bill. The base color is blue-black in males, dark gray in females. The wings have a large red patch that is conspicuous in flight. Found in a variety of habitats at middle and high elevation, including forest, moorland, cliffs, and sometimes human structures. Often forms large flocks. Gives a variety of calls, including a clear “cheed-lit,” harsh rasps, and long conversational series. Similar to Red-winged Starling, but has a longer, more tapered tail and a slimmer bill.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Onychognathus tenuirostris
- Authority
- (Rüppell, 1836)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Onychognathus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
Todirostrum maculatum
Tiny, subtly colorful flycatcher of riparian and secondary growth. Large-headed with a flat boat-shaped bill. Yellow with a gray head and fine black streaking all over. Song an even-paced series of high chip notes, usually transitioning into doubled notes, “peet, peet, peet-it, peet-it, peet-it, …”.
Red-throated Piping-Guan
Pipile cujubi
Large black-and-white guan with a red dewlap. Subspecies vary in the size of the dewlap and in the amount of white on the crest. Other piping-guans have a different face pattern and/or dewlap color. Largely arboreal, but may descend to the ground. Occurs in forests, especially riverine forests, where sometimes encountered in flocks of up to 30 individuals. Gives a rising series of clear whistles, and at dawn produces a wing-whirring display.
Black-hooded Oriole
Oriolus xanthornus
A distinctive medium-sized yellow bird with a black head and breast, black flight feathers, and a red bill. In flight, the black band towards the tail tip is visible. Juvenile is duller overall with a white streaked throat and a darker bill. Often feeds on fruiting trees with a preference for figs in wooded gardens, groves, and open forests. The song is rich, fluty, and mellow. Calls include raspy, nasal notes that can sound like a croak.
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